Rescue
by Chrissy Sky
Summary: Xellos had saved Zelgadis’ life once before. YAOI, Prequel to Search for the Aqualord. Written for Springkink 2010.


Title: Rescue

Author: Chrissy Sky

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Prequel to another fanfic, Yaoi. Still no porn.

Prompt: March 21 - Slayers, Xellos/Zelgadis: rescue/heroic gestures, touching - The chimera wasn't needed for any of his plans, but when Xellos saw him unconscious and sinking after Valgaav successfully summoned Darkstar, he couldn't let him die.

Word count:

Summary: Xellos had saved Zelgadis' life once before.

A/N: This is a small prequel to another fic, Search for the Aqualord. It can be read as a stand-alone ficlet mostly though, even though there's a small hint of something that comes up in the other story.

* * *

His mind, having gone blank after the explosion, came back to him mid-fall.

Valgaav had just summoned Dark Star, but instead of the whole world being destroyed, the world was still there. In the last moments, two more weapons had appeared and the dark lord had been sealed inside force pillars. Xellos couldn't sense what happened after that, but the explosion had taken him by complete surprise.

Xellos forced his eyes open and stopped his fall just before he could hit the ocean, looking around, trying to take stock of himself and where he was. He was far from their former location, though it wasn't entirely out of sight yet, and he wasn't injured.

A large splash nearby alerted him to something falling into the water. At first he assumed it was merely a piece of debris, until he felt the faint signature of life. He stretched his senses further and realized it was Zelgadis.

The chimera was made of stone. If he wasn't conscious, he would sink straight to the bottom, probably drowning before he even woke up. If he were conscious, he could use his last breath to cast a wind barrier and resurface.

Xellos hesitated, waiting, but nothing happened.

Unconscious then, Xellos assumed. He dove into the water without another thought, speeding after the chimera with unnatural speed, the water not slowing him down. He just hoped his hesitation hadn't cost them precious time, that the chimera's physiology could sustain him.

He didn't need the chimera for Greater Beast's current plans. Lina would be grieved, if she were alright – he sensed she was nearby, almost absently, she vibrated such chaotic energy – but Xellos wouldn't have to admit that he had let Zelgadis die. The death of a dear comrade might be enough to spur Lina on in his current endeavors.

But he hadn't been ordered to let Zelgadis die either. Xellos chose to interpret the situation as thus.

He wasn't a hero. The idea was laughable. It was just something he wanted to do.

(Wanted?)

He plunged into the deep, not needing light in order to see, and discovered that something else had already found the chimera.

It was some sort of giant sea monster, with a large carnivorous mouth, and it seemed intent on making Zelgadis into its dinner. When it saw Xellos, it instinctively seemed to know that Mazoku à la Crème would not be at all appetizing, and attacked.

(Zelgadis wouldn't be edible either, but the creature wouldn't know that until it had beaten and chewed on his stone body for awhile.)

Zelgadis, in the beast's grasp, was not breathing. If he were below much longer…

A rare anger surged in Xellos. He attacked the poor creature, injuring it enough to startle the creature into letting Zelgadis go – too bothersome to kill it, too time consuming, Zelgadis needed air – and scared it off. Hurriedly, Xellos grabbed the chimera and swam upward.

He felt for Zelgadis' pulse and something akin to panic went through him when he could find it only faintly. Still speeding toward the surface, he did the only thing he could think of – since going into the astral plane was out of the question, it would kill Zelgadis anyway in this state.

He pressed their mouths together and gave the chimera the last swallow of unneeded air Xellos had held onto before going into the water. He didn't need to breathe, but there was some passage of air through his non-astral body when he spoke.

They broke the surface just as the chimera started breathing again. Relieved, Xellos carried him from the water and took him toward where he had felt Lina's life force.

(Filia was nearby as well, but Xellos wanted to avoid her as much as possible, at least long enough to see that Zelgadis was taken care of. The dragon woman could be incredibly irrational.)

It seemed that they had landed near an island, which is where he took Zelgadis to, and that on this island was some sort of theme park. Xellos let a few of the employees assume that they were guests so that they would allow he and the chimera the use of a bedroom and some spare clothes.

"Is there a young woman with flaming red hair about?" he inquired of one of them.

The young man smiled. "Oh, yes. She came with a tall blonde girl earlier."

Xellos pasted on a smile. "Good! We're with them, you see, but we got separated on the beach."

"You're not really dressed for the beach, sir, if you don't mind me saying."

"No, we're not." Xellos shut the door in his face and carried his armful to the bed.

He undressed Zelgadis, passing his wet clothes to the startled young man outside, and proceeded to dry the chimera off. Xellos wasn't surprised to see that the rock skin covered him completely, as he had seen Zelgadis naked, or nearly so, quite a few times.

(Stalker, he believed humans called people with his habits.)

It was, however, the first time he had been able to touch.

Oh, the texture, the feel of sinewy muscles, and the spots that were still sensitive and could make Zelgadis mewl in his sleep… Xellos didn't want to stop.

Unfortunately he didn't have much choice in the matter; he needed to report to his master soon and figure out what had happened. He couldn't do either standing there molesting the chimera.

(Even if it was more fun.)

Mazoku didn't have sexual desire in the way humans did. There was a desire for an act of merging, which Xellos could only assume (while stalking) was similar. Even though he had posed as a human for some time, there was still a barrier he could not cross.

That was even more reason for him to go, of course. If he waited there any longer, if anyone – even Zelgadis himself – discovered what he was feeling, then it would put them all in danger. He had to keep his distance, now more than ever, for their sakes. There were many who would love to take advantage of that knowledge.

He didn't really understand the feeling, but he didn't try to push it away or destroy it. Instead, Xellos held onto it, hid it, greedily, because it was something other than darkness and chaos. It made him curious, and it was also… nice, in a way. Yes, the feeling was nice to feel. So whatever it was, he wanted to keep it.

He caressed Zelgadis' face one more time before finding clean clothes in the closet. There were more normal clothes, which he knew the chimera would appreciate waking up in, but when he saw the prince outfit Xellos couldn't help himself.

In fact, he practically squealed with joy.

He dressed Zelgadis in the outfit and, not wanting to take the chance that the chimera would figure out what had happened in the room, or that he'd been the one to rescue him, took him out of the room. He found a highly suitable, and amusing, spot to sit Zelgadis in while he napped.

Xellos stepped back to admire the image. He didn't see the stone skin and wire hair as freakish. He saw a young man, beautiful and noble and clever, and had that feeling again.

An inquiry reached him from his master, disturbing his thoughts. Xellos sent a silent reply, saying he would be along shortly.

Remembering the situation he had just saved the chimera from, Xellos hesitated. He stayed long enough to press his ear against Zelgadis' chest, smiling as he felt the steady heartbeat.

He stayed longer than he should have, enjoying the closeness, because Zelgadis moved.

"C'mere, you little…"

Xellos darted away, looking at Zelgadis in shock, but relaxed when he saw the chimera was still asleep.

He smiled. _Talking in his sleep, huh?_ It was cute.

(He didn't dare believe that Zelgadis could be dreaming about him. That was just silly. But he could pretend.)

Shortly after that, he felt Lina draw closer and had to leave. But the image of Zelgadis dressed as a prince stayed with him for some time.

* * *

~ End. Thanks for reading! ~


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